Month: May 2019

Part II

When we awoke the following morning it was like waking up to fairyland. Everywhere there were high snow clad mountains and even the valleys had a dusting of snow. We were in Switzerland. We had to wait for our steward to come to lower our beds and return the cabin to its former configuration. The train manager visited me followed by the chief steward, Francesco who redid my bandage for me and prescribed Champagne as medicine.

Almost immediately a whole bottle of Tattinger arrived at the cabin. Our steward brought us breakfast, which consisted of finely chopped fruit, bread, pastries and preserves. We were offered tea and coffee, but were soon happily imbibing the champagne. 
We continued to pass through the mostly beautiful scenic countryside with dramatic mountains on both sides.

Eventually, after a series of long tunnels, the scenery began to change. The snow was still on the tops of the mountains, but not in the valleys.

As happened the previous night, the Maitre’d visited us and assigned us a dining================= car for lunch. We were to dine in the “Etoile du Nord”. When lunch was announced we made our way to our restaurant. I was delighted to find that this was run by Giussepe, my saviour from the night before.

Even the menus feature the individual names of the restaurant cars along with the beautiful menu.

Again the food was exquisite and it was lovely being served by Giussepe and his team of Mirko and Massimo. I chose a bottle of French wine to go with the meal based on my many visits to France with Brian.

Susie, who didn’t like duck was able to change it for something else.

As with the beef the previous night the lamb simply melted in your mouth.

The lovely thing about the meals is that it is so beautifully presented and the quantity is just perfect. The cheesecake for dessert was equally beautiful.

While we were having lunch we crossed into Italy and began to see the lakes. We eventually came to Lake Como, which is just stunning.

After the beautiful scenery of Lake Como the countryside gradually flattened out and wasn’t quite as scenic. It was time to make sure we had all our belongings and our cabin bags packed before we arrived in Venice. Due to a number of factors we were two hours late arriving, but I was happy to spend more time on such a beautiful train as the Orient Express. We had been served afternoon tea in our cabin so there was no danger of going hungry. The tea set is also beautifully engraved.

All too soon we arrived at Santa Lucia station where we were met by a representative of Venice Simplon and transferred to our hotel by shared water taxi, which in itself was an experience.

Part 1

After sitting on a coach on a train going through the Channel Tunnel a short drive took us to the station where the Orient Express was waiting. The first impression was of a train with a long series of blue carriages with shining white roofs. It is quite something to behold and I was filled with excitement at the prospect of boarding such a beautiful train. The stewards were lined up outside in their beautiful blue uniforms and the Restaurant and bar staff in their white jackets

Our steward showed us to our cabin and I sank into the couch, admiring the luxury of the furnishings and the beautiful wood and marquetry.

Our cabin luggage had already been placed in the room so once we were settled our steward came and poured us a glass of champagne in the beautiful Venice Simplon glasses.

Shortly after the Maitre’d arrived to discuss table arrangements for dinner. We were to dine in the restaurant car “Etoile du Nord”. In the meantime we sat and watched the passing countryside as the train raced through Pas de Calais, sipping our champagne.

Having negotiated our way around each other Susie and I were finally ready for dinner. The attire for the evening dinner was formal, so we had both brought lovely cocktail dresses. Walking along the carriages to the dining car required a lot of care. While the carriages themselves are old they are drawn by different trains in each of the different countries that we pass through. The trains mostly travel at 120mph, but the carriages are approved to travel at 160mph. This causes quite a degree of rocking and you need to take great care when you are walking, especially in high heels. 
We arrived at Restaurant Car “Oriental” and were shown to our seats. The tables were set in Silver with beautiful ly engraved crystal glasses and engraved dinner service.

I had decided that a bottle of champagne was definitely required for our first meal on board.. The Maitre’d suggested an Italian one so we decided to accept his suggestion.

There were four courses and the beef for main course was exquisitely cooked so that it just melted in your mouth and dessert was beautifully presented. 

After dinner I decided to use the nearest facilities before heading to the bar with Susie. I was just passing through the service car when the train gave a giant lurch and threw me into a sharp edge, which sliced my arm. I was attended to very quickly by a lovely waiter called Giussepe who bandaged me up very nicely. Susie and I decided after this that ‘all the jerks were in France” We proceeded to the bar where a couple of Amaretto Sours definitely helped with the pain. The pianist was playing and it was all very redolent of the bygone age of luxury travel. 

When we returned to our cabin it was transformed into two beds one above the other, of which the upper I was happy to use. There was a ladder to assist in the ascent. I love the sound of the the wheels of the carriages on the line and the bed was very comfortable. In previous years my husband Brian and I had travelled on the motorail and slept in a similar fashion. This was just rather more luxurious. 

I awoke on the Sunday morning, 5th May, 2019 with as much excited anticipation as a child on. Christmas Eve. The idea was that we would have an early breakfast followed by showers. There are no showers on the train. I was letting Susie have a bath first while I went down to platform 2 at Victoria Station from where the Belmond Pullman was departing. We were going on this as far as Folkestone for the first part of our journey. I was hoping to maybe check in then go back to the hotel to get ready. In fact I was so early that the Belmond Pullman staff were only just setting up, which was fascinating itself.

When I finally spoke to the check in desk I could not register without my bags so I went back to the hotel room only to discover that Susie was only just getting in the bath. The next minute there was a loud noise accompanied by some curses from Susie. It later transpired that she had broken her toe. She was also suffering with a sore shoulder from carrying the luggage the previous day so a porter from the hotel helped us to the Belmond checkin.

Shortly afterwards the Belmond Pullman arrived at the platform.

We had been allocated seats in Lucille.

Inside the carriages were very beautiful, each with their own individual marquetry. It was quite special to sit in such beautiful surroundings.

The journey to Folkestone was only two hours so lunch was served fairly promptly. As one would expect the food was beautifully presented and tasted absolutely delicious. It was described as “brunch with Bellini to drink.” The girl serving these was very kind and gave us a couple of extra glasses.

The Belmond Pullman meandered through the Kent countryside and all too soon we were at our station in Folkestone where we transferred to coaches for the next leg of our journey through the Channel Tunnel. A small band serenaded us as we made the transfer.

From a very small child I have been fascinated by trains. I love that form of travel and the sense of excitement of an impending journey. Therefore, travelling on The Orient Express became number one on my bucket list of things I wanted to do.

The journey I chose is the route from London to Venice. I asked my daughter, Susie to accompany me.

I’m a person who likes to preplan as much as possible, so well in advance I booked what looked like s nice hotel in Venice, the Savoia and Jolanda.

As the first part of our journey was on the Belmond Pullman from London Victoria Station, I booked us into the Grosvenor Victoria Hotel.

We were due to leave London on 5th May so we needed to travel down on the train the previous day. It was only when I came to book the train ticket to London that I realised travelling might not be as straightforward as normal. The train from Chester, leaving at 13.55 was going to take 5 hours and 4 changes to London, due to engineering works at Euston. Between us Susie and I were taking two large suitcases, two cabin bags and clothes” carriers for the glamorous clothes we were wearing on the train,

The morning of our departure for London I approached the day in a leisurely and relaxed manner savouring the excitement I felt about the impending journey, After a morning of beauty treatments I was pottering about waiting for my grandson to take me to the hairdresser as I had lent my car to my granddaughter, when he suddenly came rushing in and said you have to go now or I’ll call you a taxi. My daughter’s husband had been out riding his motorbike when a gang had driven up in a car and stolen the keys from his bike. Dan needed to go and rescue him. My lovely relaxed day was no longer. Dan dropped me off at the hairdresser and charged away in his car. Susie picked me up after the hairdresser and dropped me back home. As she drove away I remembered that I had changed the keys of my house to the bag I was taking away with me and that was inside the house. I was locked out and the taxi was coming in twenty minutes.

I knocked on my neighbour.’s door and like a “Knight in Shining Armour” he came to my assistance. He brought a very long ladder from his house and managed to open a window in our upstairs conservatory. I watched as my despair turned to hope as he scurried up the ladder and through the window. A few minutes later I was in my house. Dan returned home five minutes later and we were on our way to the station picking up Susie en route.

After a minor panic over tickets at the station we boarded the first of our five trains; the one to Crewe. The first two changes were relatively painless, but the second train was delayed at Birmingham New Street and this impacted on our change at Banbury. Susie carried more than she should and hurt her shoulder. We took a taxi from Marylebone to The Grosvenor Victoria Hotel. Relaxing with a Gin and Tonic in the bar an hour later I finally felt my holiday had begun.

S